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Story Hour
The Fall of Civilization
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 4967481" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>The snap and pop of electricity surrounds the giant yellow shocker beast. Bolts of lightning arc from one of its shoulders to the other. Once again it voices its strange war cry: “PIKA!”* A sizzling yellow bolt of lightning shoots out from it as the smell of ozone fills the air. Iggy screams and dances as the bolt transfixes him, then staggers as it ceases. </p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the hook horrors continue their relentless assault. The one advancing on Iggy reaches him and lashes out, the hooks at the ends of its arms pulling him in closer to the terrible monster. Dazed from the lightning bolt, the wizard can do nothing to defend himself. The horror looms over him, raising another hook. The second hook horror presses its attack on Heimall, and the warlord is hard-pressed to escape a lethal blow. Parrying one hook with <em>Throat-Ripper,</em> he is unable to fully dodge the other- and it rips a huge wound in his thigh. Vann-La scrambles to her feet and back up the slope towards her adversary, meeting its attack boldly. Somehow, the Kree warrior is able to withstand her attacker’s flurry of hook attacks without being hit. She parries and dodges expertly, using every ounce of skill that she has developed over the years. </p><p></p><p>Torinn utters a <em>healing word</em>, saving the faltering Heimall. Then the dragonborn begins another prayer, imploring Lester to make him into a <em>beacon of hope</em> even as Cook moves in on the flanks of one of the hook horrors. Catching it between herself and Vann-La, the dwarf gives it a mighty whack with his frying pan, then knocks it <em>into harm’s way</em>, allowing Vann-La to land another devastating blow on the creature. </p><p></p><p>Sta’Ligir, meanwhile, <em>fey steps</em> away from the horror trying to take him apart. The effects of the lizard’s electric attack are starting to wear off on him, and he glances in its direction. <em>It’s got to go,</em> he thinks. </p><p></p><p>The horror that Cook and Vann-La are flanking swings around to show its ire to the dwarf. Vann-La cries, “Don’t ignore me!” and <em>inexorably advances</em> on it. It tries to parry her attack with one of its hooks, but she turns a head cut into a gutting maneuver at the last second, and the beast falls. She keeps moving, smashing into another one. Then she shifts immediately into the <em>Kree battle dance</em> and continues moving, finally reaching the shocker lizard and thrusting the tip of her sword into its shoulder. It screams, “PIKA!!” as blood gushes out. </p><p></p><p>And then it releases a <em>shock pulse</em> that explodes all around it, sending bolts of lightning everywhere around it. </p><p></p><p>Our heroes throw themselves flat, leap to the side or just plain get lucky. The shock pulse doesn’t hit <em>any</em> of them. The hook horrors aren’t so lucky- one of them is jigged like a puppet by the lightning, and when the shock releases it, it falls dead and smoking to the ground. </p><p></p><p>The last hook horror rushes towards Iggy, determined to pursue its prey. “Crap,” the wizard has time to say, and then the horror is close enough to strike, sinking its hooks into his torso and pulling him to it. He cries out in renewed agony- then focuses his mind and casts <em>fire shroud,</em> blasting the horror.</p><p></p><p>It’s just not Iggy’s day. The flames lick around him in all directions, but the hook horror somehow avoids them all. The wizard squirms, trying desperately to escape- to no avail. The horror’s head, a strange mix of beetle and vulture, leers above him. </p><p></p><p><em>Oh crap,</em> he thinks, as its razor-sharp beak opens. </p><p></p><p>And Vann-La charges into it from behind, even as Torinn uses his other <em>healing word</em> on Iggy. The battered, bleeding wizard shakes with the impact of the Kree on the horror that is holding him. It screeches in rage- and glares at him.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, Heimall runs the shocker lizard through as the start of a <em>white raven onslaught</em>. It staggers back.</p><p></p><p>“Pika?” is squeals. </p><p></p><p>And then it falls to the ground, slain.</p><p></p><p>Iggy stares at the hook horror as it tries to bite him. The wizard throws his arms up to fend off the scissoring beak. “Aargh!” he screams, as the thing bites his arm badly.</p><p></p><p>And then it collapses. The effort of attacking one last time proves too much for it.</p><p></p><p>With a groan, Iggy pries himself from the hooks. The party staggers together and Torinn and Heimall apply healing, each with their own style: Lesterite prayer or exhortations not to let the Empire down. </p><p></p><p>The Empire needs them. It <em>needs</em> them.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Almost out. The party is almost out of the Feydark- the Feywild equivalent of the Underdark of the material world. They keep moving, and soon the omnipresent darkness is pierced by sunlight. </p><p></p><p>The party emerges, and immediately splits up. Hkatha has several important appointments that he must be in Fandelose for. He should have just enough time to get back to the fey crossing and then to the city. The others stay in the Feywild, to try to follow up on this “black unicorn” that Iggy has mentioned on several occasions. </p><p></p><p>After all, this is the most likely place for it to be. </p><p></p><p>The party quickly finds a lead- a group of aquatic fey claim that they can help, if the party can clear an obstruction from the waterway upstream. This proves to be a relatively easy task. </p><p></p><p>The party’s task accomplished, they return to the nixies, who tell them that the black unicorn sometimes visits an area called Black Mirror Falls. After a night’s rest, the party follows a nixie guide upstream into a canyon. The nixie chatters tirelessly while it leads them to the far end of the canyon, where a tall waterfall drops several hundred feet from above into the canyon. The nixie departs, wishing the group well, and they begin ascending a wet trail along the edge of the canyon. </p><p></p><p>And then a black unicorn steps out of the falls about midway up.</p><p></p><p>“That’s got to be it!” exclaims Torinn.</p><p></p><p>“It’s beautiful,” Vann-La says. </p><p></p><p>The unicorn stares directly at them. Slowly the party advances up the trail towards it. </p><p></p><p>“Uh, hello,” Vann-La greets the noble beast as they reach it.**</p><p></p><p>It tosses its mane and snorts.</p><p></p><p>“We understand that you’re angry. We were wondering, you know, who you’re angry with. Is it the Six-Fingered Hand? They’ve started sending troops here, to your land, and...” She halted. “How are we going to know what it wants us to know, anyway,” she asks. “This might be more-”</p><p></p><p>“I can talk just fine,” the unicorn says in Elven. </p><p></p><p>“Oh.” Vann-La shrugs. “Okay.”</p><p></p><p>“So,” Torinn says, “if you’re opposed to the Hand, then-”</p><p></p><p>“I did not say that,” the unicorn interrupts, “although I am certainly not fond of them.”</p><p></p><p>“Why not?”</p><p></p><p>An extraordinarily disdainful snort. “Goblins. Orcs. Gnolls. Need I say more?”</p><p></p><p>“A good point,” Heimall concedes. </p><p></p><p>“So it’s not the Six-Fingered Hand making you angry?” Vann-La asks.</p><p></p><p>Snort.</p><p></p><p>”Then who- or what- is? Can we help?”</p><p></p><p>“The covenant has been broken,” the unicorn announces. </p><p></p><p>“Are you mad at <em>us?</em>” the Kree tries again.</p><p></p><p>“Not you. Her. The beautiful sisters. They betrayed us. Again and again.”</p><p></p><p>“Who are these sisters?” asks Heimall.</p><p></p><p>”Could it be Garnet?” wonders Torinn. “She’s a goddess, but there are three of her- triplets.”</p><p></p><p>The unicorn tosses its glossy mane again. “Too many of them. Too many of the same. Each one a betrayal.”</p><p></p><p>“Are they really sisters?” asks Heimall. </p><p></p><p>“They are forgotten by most,” the black unicorn states.</p><p></p><p>“Why are you telling us this? How can we help?”</p><p></p><p>“Because you shall go to the Silver Isle. But first you must find the silver rose.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m not sure I understand,” says Vann-La.</p><p></p><p>“Find the rose!”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>In the fey marshes, the party encounters a strange group of fey foes: strange will-o-wisps of light, a form of mist that tries to suck their blood out and a group of large bloodsucking oozes that Heimall recognizes as mutant bloodbloaters, which Cook claims are a delicacy amongst his people. They drive off the wisps, slay the mist and the bloodbloaters, and refuse to give Cook enough time harvest the oozes. </p><p></p><p>Finally, they decide that they have spent enough time in the Feywild for the time being.</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> Hkatha’s meetings- and an assassination attempt on him!</p><p></p><p></p><p>*Assuming that you have access to a 3e Monster Manual, open to the “shocker lizard” entry. Now imagine the picture yellow. You’ll see exactly what I mean. </p><p></p><p>**This is a funny story- Iggy is the one who wanted to seek out the black unicorn, and his player had just gone home before this encounter. We use a “fade into the background” approach to absent players, for the record. So this encounter was pretty funny, since Iggy didn’t exactly take part in it!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 4967481, member: 1210"] The snap and pop of electricity surrounds the giant yellow shocker beast. Bolts of lightning arc from one of its shoulders to the other. Once again it voices its strange war cry: “PIKA!”* A sizzling yellow bolt of lightning shoots out from it as the smell of ozone fills the air. Iggy screams and dances as the bolt transfixes him, then staggers as it ceases. Meanwhile, the hook horrors continue their relentless assault. The one advancing on Iggy reaches him and lashes out, the hooks at the ends of its arms pulling him in closer to the terrible monster. Dazed from the lightning bolt, the wizard can do nothing to defend himself. The horror looms over him, raising another hook. The second hook horror presses its attack on Heimall, and the warlord is hard-pressed to escape a lethal blow. Parrying one hook with [i]Throat-Ripper,[/i] he is unable to fully dodge the other- and it rips a huge wound in his thigh. Vann-La scrambles to her feet and back up the slope towards her adversary, meeting its attack boldly. Somehow, the Kree warrior is able to withstand her attacker’s flurry of hook attacks without being hit. She parries and dodges expertly, using every ounce of skill that she has developed over the years. Torinn utters a [i]healing word[/i], saving the faltering Heimall. Then the dragonborn begins another prayer, imploring Lester to make him into a [i]beacon of hope[/i] even as Cook moves in on the flanks of one of the hook horrors. Catching it between herself and Vann-La, the dwarf gives it a mighty whack with his frying pan, then knocks it [i]into harm’s way[/i], allowing Vann-La to land another devastating blow on the creature. Sta’Ligir, meanwhile, [i]fey steps[/i] away from the horror trying to take him apart. The effects of the lizard’s electric attack are starting to wear off on him, and he glances in its direction. [i]It’s got to go,[/i] he thinks. The horror that Cook and Vann-La are flanking swings around to show its ire to the dwarf. Vann-La cries, “Don’t ignore me!” and [i]inexorably advances[/i] on it. It tries to parry her attack with one of its hooks, but she turns a head cut into a gutting maneuver at the last second, and the beast falls. She keeps moving, smashing into another one. Then she shifts immediately into the [i]Kree battle dance[/i] and continues moving, finally reaching the shocker lizard and thrusting the tip of her sword into its shoulder. It screams, “PIKA!!” as blood gushes out. And then it releases a [i]shock pulse[/i] that explodes all around it, sending bolts of lightning everywhere around it. Our heroes throw themselves flat, leap to the side or just plain get lucky. The shock pulse doesn’t hit [i]any[/i] of them. The hook horrors aren’t so lucky- one of them is jigged like a puppet by the lightning, and when the shock releases it, it falls dead and smoking to the ground. The last hook horror rushes towards Iggy, determined to pursue its prey. “Crap,” the wizard has time to say, and then the horror is close enough to strike, sinking its hooks into his torso and pulling him to it. He cries out in renewed agony- then focuses his mind and casts [i]fire shroud,[/i] blasting the horror. It’s just not Iggy’s day. The flames lick around him in all directions, but the hook horror somehow avoids them all. The wizard squirms, trying desperately to escape- to no avail. The horror’s head, a strange mix of beetle and vulture, leers above him. [i]Oh crap,[/i] he thinks, as its razor-sharp beak opens. And Vann-La charges into it from behind, even as Torinn uses his other [i]healing word[/i] on Iggy. The battered, bleeding wizard shakes with the impact of the Kree on the horror that is holding him. It screeches in rage- and glares at him. Meanwhile, Heimall runs the shocker lizard through as the start of a [i]white raven onslaught[/i]. It staggers back. “Pika?” is squeals. And then it falls to the ground, slain. Iggy stares at the hook horror as it tries to bite him. The wizard throws his arms up to fend off the scissoring beak. “Aargh!” he screams, as the thing bites his arm badly. And then it collapses. The effort of attacking one last time proves too much for it. With a groan, Iggy pries himself from the hooks. The party staggers together and Torinn and Heimall apply healing, each with their own style: Lesterite prayer or exhortations not to let the Empire down. The Empire needs them. It [i]needs[/i] them. *** Almost out. The party is almost out of the Feydark- the Feywild equivalent of the Underdark of the material world. They keep moving, and soon the omnipresent darkness is pierced by sunlight. The party emerges, and immediately splits up. Hkatha has several important appointments that he must be in Fandelose for. He should have just enough time to get back to the fey crossing and then to the city. The others stay in the Feywild, to try to follow up on this “black unicorn” that Iggy has mentioned on several occasions. After all, this is the most likely place for it to be. The party quickly finds a lead- a group of aquatic fey claim that they can help, if the party can clear an obstruction from the waterway upstream. This proves to be a relatively easy task. The party’s task accomplished, they return to the nixies, who tell them that the black unicorn sometimes visits an area called Black Mirror Falls. After a night’s rest, the party follows a nixie guide upstream into a canyon. The nixie chatters tirelessly while it leads them to the far end of the canyon, where a tall waterfall drops several hundred feet from above into the canyon. The nixie departs, wishing the group well, and they begin ascending a wet trail along the edge of the canyon. And then a black unicorn steps out of the falls about midway up. “That’s got to be it!” exclaims Torinn. “It’s beautiful,” Vann-La says. The unicorn stares directly at them. Slowly the party advances up the trail towards it. “Uh, hello,” Vann-La greets the noble beast as they reach it.** It tosses its mane and snorts. “We understand that you’re angry. We were wondering, you know, who you’re angry with. Is it the Six-Fingered Hand? They’ve started sending troops here, to your land, and...” She halted. “How are we going to know what it wants us to know, anyway,” she asks. “This might be more-” “I can talk just fine,” the unicorn says in Elven. “Oh.” Vann-La shrugs. “Okay.” “So,” Torinn says, “if you’re opposed to the Hand, then-” “I did not say that,” the unicorn interrupts, “although I am certainly not fond of them.” “Why not?” An extraordinarily disdainful snort. “Goblins. Orcs. Gnolls. Need I say more?” “A good point,” Heimall concedes. “So it’s not the Six-Fingered Hand making you angry?” Vann-La asks. Snort. ”Then who- or what- is? Can we help?” “The covenant has been broken,” the unicorn announces. “Are you mad at [i]us?[/i]” the Kree tries again. “Not you. Her. The beautiful sisters. They betrayed us. Again and again.” “Who are these sisters?” asks Heimall. ”Could it be Garnet?” wonders Torinn. “She’s a goddess, but there are three of her- triplets.” The unicorn tosses its glossy mane again. “Too many of them. Too many of the same. Each one a betrayal.” “Are they really sisters?” asks Heimall. “They are forgotten by most,” the black unicorn states. “Why are you telling us this? How can we help?” “Because you shall go to the Silver Isle. But first you must find the silver rose.” “I’m not sure I understand,” says Vann-La. “Find the rose!” *** In the fey marshes, the party encounters a strange group of fey foes: strange will-o-wisps of light, a form of mist that tries to suck their blood out and a group of large bloodsucking oozes that Heimall recognizes as mutant bloodbloaters, which Cook claims are a delicacy amongst his people. They drive off the wisps, slay the mist and the bloodbloaters, and refuse to give Cook enough time harvest the oozes. Finally, they decide that they have spent enough time in the Feywild for the time being. [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] Hkatha’s meetings- and an assassination attempt on him! *Assuming that you have access to a 3e Monster Manual, open to the “shocker lizard” entry. Now imagine the picture yellow. You’ll see exactly what I mean. **This is a funny story- Iggy is the one who wanted to seek out the black unicorn, and his player had just gone home before this encounter. We use a “fade into the background” approach to absent players, for the record. So this encounter was pretty funny, since Iggy didn’t exactly take part in it! [/QUOTE]
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